LIVONIA, Mich. — Livonia Public Schools, which has closed 10
buildings in the last four years and cut bus routes by 30 percent, gave
Superintendent Randy Liepa a $50,000 raise Monday night, according to The
Detroit News.

"We don't want to lose him," board member Daniel Lessard
told The News. "He's one of the best superintendents in the state."

Liepa's compensation will jump to $199,400, The News
reported.

Sharif Shakrani, co-director of the Education Policy Center
at Michigan State University, told The News that, "It's not unusual for
superintendents to earn around $200,000 to $250,000 a year, so I'm not
surprised."

The Detroit News' research shows otherwise. The American
Association of School Administrators says the average salary for
superintendents in districts of between 10,000 and 24,999 students is $164,376.
Livonia has about 16,000 students, The News reported.